Modern mechanical systems can be exceedingly complex. The complexities of modern mechanical systems have led to increasing needs for automated prognosis and fault detection systems. These prognosis and fault detection systems are designed to monitor the mechanical system in an effort to predict the future performance of the system and detect potential faults. These systems are designed to detect these potential faults such that the potential faults can be addressed before the potential faults lead to failure in the mechanical system.
One type of mechanical system where prognosis and fault detection is of particular importance is aircraft systems. In aircraft systems, prognosis and fault detection can detect potential faults such that they can be addressed before they result in serious system failure and possible in-flight shutdowns, take-off aborts, delays or cancellations.
Current prognosis and fault detection systems have relied upon data trending of data from the mechanical system to predict future performance and detect likely faults. In general data trending involves filtering the data to generate a more accurate, filtered estimate of the data. Additionally, data trending can include generating predicted likely future values for the sensor data. Each of these data trending functions facilities prognosis and fault detection in the mechanical systems.
Current systems have used various statistical techniques for filtering data. As examples, past trending systems have used such as Kalman filters or exponential filters to filter data. Unfortunately, these current trending systems suffered from many limitations. One particular limitation in current trending systems is a lack of accuracy. Thus, these trending systems are unable to accurately determine current sensor values or predict likely future values. This lack of accuracy limits the effectiveness of the prognosis and fault detection system, resulting in potentially unexpected faults and/or false detection of future faults.
Thus, what is needed is an improved system and method for trending data in mechanical systems that offers improved accuracy and reliability.